What is the economic impact of America’s public lands and waters? How can we quantify how these remarkable resources contribute to our quality of life? And how are our valuation methods and public policies changing?

This diverse collection of essays addresses questions related to the economic impact of America’s public lands.

Written by some of the most prominent and respected scholars of public lands, these essays represent the state of the knowledge of the economics of America’s vast natural resources. The authors were selected to submit essays because they have exhibited high research standards over the course of their careers and, in many cases, have generated data-driven analyses that have impacted public policy. They offer a wealth of insight based on decades of experience.

The intention of this collection is to inspire the next generation of researchers to thoughtfully and creatively address the challenges of informing public lands policy with credible data and transparent methodology.